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Meteorologist Jackie Layer explains how teams from the National Weather Service determine when a storm is a tornado. (Published Monday, Aug. 22, 2016)

The National Weather Service has confirmed an EF-1 tornado touched down in Concord, Massachusetts. Winds were estimated at 100 mph with a path of a half a mile and a width of 400 yards. In total 39 homes were damaged, one significantly.

The last time there was a tornado that was an EF-1 or stronger was back in 2014.

At 3:01 a.m. a tornado warning was issued for Middlesex County. By 3:09 a.m. we started receiving reports of damage in Marlborough. The possible tornado was moving northeast at approximately 35 mph, additional damage reports came in at 3:31 a.m. in Concord.

These "thunderstorms" (or more like severe downpours) moved through without any lightning. Typically during afternoon thunderstorms you see the "cauliflower" looking clouds, but these were "low topped" storms - that's why there was no lightning. Clouds bases were also low, which helps tornado develop.